After the last few days at the Broncos’ Dove Valley complex, Fox has said those words quite a bit.

Guard Chris Kuper, who was still working back to full speed from the dislocated ankle he suffered New Year’s Day, will be out four to six weeks with a fractured bone in his left forearm, while defensive end Jason Hunter will likely miss the season with a torn triceps.

“(Kuper) was easing back into it off his ankle to begin with, and unfortunately it was a freak accident (Tuesday),” Fox said. “His arm swung and hit someone and actually cracked the smaller bone in the arm.”

Fox said Hunter would miss at least four months, meaning Hunter would likely end up on injured reserve.

It means the guys with the first chance to be the next men up on the current Broncos depth chart will be Manny Ramirez and rookie Derek Wolfe. The Broncos will most likely have to handle this themselves, at least until roster cuts around the league come later this month – to 75 players Aug. 27, to 53 players Aug. 31.

With 32 NFL teams in training camp with 90-player rosters, the available free agents comprise a list filled with uncertainty. The Broncos have already tried pulling a name off of it, having signed veteran linebacker Keith Brooking into camp after Brooking had not been in any team’s offseason program.

Brooking practiced fully for just one day before suffering a hamstring injury. So, the Broncos can give the available free agents a look, but the list won’t improve much, if at all, until later this month.

Ramirez, a sixth-year veteran who has played in more than four games in a season just once in his career – 13 games for the Lions in 2009 – has been given the first look at Kuper’s right guard spot. Orlando Franklin will also take some snaps there as the Broncos try cover for Kuper’s absence.

It’s no small matter for the Broncos to replace one of their offensive captains. Kuper was the team’s most consistent lineman and with Peyton Manning at quarterback, keeping the pass rushers out of the middle of the field and the pocket intact will be even at a bigger premium for the Broncos offensive line.

“Manny Ramirez has had a bunch of reps there,” Fox said. “We’re still pretty deep and flexible in the O-line.”

For his part Wolfe had already entered camp as a starter-in-waiting as the Broncos’ first draft pick this past April, and he was already in a rotation with Hunter at left defensive end in the starting defense. Wolfe’s quick emergence and Hunter’s physical play early on in camp had pushed Robert Ayers down the depth chart and out of the starting lineup.

Jeremy Beal, a seventh-round draft pick for the Broncos in the 2011 draft who spent last season on the team’s practice squad, will get plenty of consideration to back up Wolfe. Beal had two sacks against the Bears’ reserves in last Thursday night’s preseason opener.

“You try to be ready for when they put you in there,” Beal said. “That’s all you can do.”

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